


More Alike Than Not

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Category: Legend of the Seeker, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Community: legendland, Crossover, Gen, Mentors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-31
Updated: 2010-01-31
Packaged: 2019-05-01 16:53:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14525061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: "You know what they're like," Gaius said.I've got a destiny, I know what I'm doing!""Oh, yes.I'm the Seeker! I know better than someone with so much life experience! I'm young and I have a magic sword!" Zedd shook his head.In a magical inn open to all with magical powers, Gaius and Zedd compare notes on being the mentor to a precocious apprentice with a destiny.





	More Alike Than Not

Somewhere, between realities, in a place that wasn't really a place, was an inn that really was an inn. The furniture in it, for example, was real enough, as were the drinks.

Those gifted enough, being possessed of special powers, being superhuman, shape shifters, wizards, magicians, witches, warlocks, and sundry others of such nature, could find this inn. Usually they first found it while lost in whatever passed for deep woodlands where lived (deserts, wastelands, and lunar landscapes sometimes had to suffice). Once they'd found it once, however, a concentrated effort of will made it possible for them to find it whenever they felt like it. 

For his part, Ivan, the proprietor, welcomed anyone who could pay for their drinks and didn't make too much trouble.

Today was rather quiet and Ivan was polishing the bar. The door creaked, and Ivan looked up.

"Evening, Gaius," he greeted.

"Yes, good evening, Ivan," the man said. An older man, with white hair that reached to his shoulders, and a thick blue robe worn against the chill air, Gaius approached the bar. Ivan produced his usual ale. Gaius was a regular and always ordered the same thing.

"Thank you," Gaius said, taking a mouthful and swallowing it gratefully. "Oh, that's good. I needed that."

"Long day?" Ivan asked sympathetically. He liked Gaius; the man always kept on top of his bar tab and never started any arguments.

"The usual. Uther tried to have someone executed for using magic, and Merlin – the young idiot – tried to help. Almost got himself accused of witchcraft. Again. However he hasn't got himself tied to a stake is beyond me."

"Executed for using magic?"

The only other patron in the bar spoke up. Gaius turned and squinted. The man was seated in the shadows to one side of the fireplace.

"Yes. King Uther Pendragon thinks magic is evil."

"Yet you yourself can find this place."

"Don't cause trouble, Zedd," Ivan warned. "Or I'll ban you like I banned Shota, but it'll be for a month and not just a week, 'cause to be fair to Shota, Severus did start that fight."

The man stood and joined them. He was tall and lean, with white hair past his shoulders. Like Gaius, he wore robes, though his were of muted shades. "I'm not making trouble, Ivan. I'm making conversation."

"Make sure it stays that way," Ivan grumbled, and went to fetch more pretzels. Zedd was always hungry.

Zedd gave a bow towards Gaius. "Zeddicus Z'ul Zorander, of the Midlands, Wizard of the First Order, at your service."

Gaius took another swallow of beer before he answered.

"Gaius, of Camelot, physician and sometime practitioner of magic."

Zedd gestured to a nearby table. "Would you like to have a drink with me? Explain to me this world of yours, where magic is thought so evil that people are executed for being born with such a gift."

***

Several ales later, the two wizards were deep in conversation.

"And I said, 'Merlin, don't put the lizard in the pot!'"

Zedd laughed heartily. "But I suppose he didn't listen?"

"Of course not," Gaius said. "You know what they're like. _I've got a destiny, I know what I'm doing!_ "

"Oh, yes. _I'm the Seeker! I know better than someone with so much life experience! I'm young and I have a magic sword!_ " Zedd shook his head. "He's my grandson, and I love him, and he's doing his best. But sometimes I could give him a clip around the ear!"

Gaius nodded. "Yes, yes! Merlin is my nephew and I care for him as if he is my son. But sometimes he exasperates me so!"

"And then there's Kahlan," Zedd went on. "I keep telling him 'Look but don't touch'; it'll end it tears. Or worse."

"Ha! Merlin moons about after a servant who has _her_ eye on a prince – there's a recipe for disaster for all three of them! And Morgana…" Gaius frowned and glanced around. "You've never seen her have you?"

Gaius stood and yelled to Ivan.

"Ivan, bring more ale, there's a good chap. And tell me, Morgana has never been here, has she? Ward of Uther, very pale, black hair, favours blue dresses and red cloaks."

Ivan dutifully brought another pitcher of ale. "Can't say as she has, Gaius, not yet at any rate. Morgause, though, she was in last night. That woman can drink, let me tell you. Arm wrestled for money too 'til she got enough to pay for her tab."

Gaius muttered under his breath; Ivan gave him a warning glance, since badmouthing other patrons counted as "trying to make trouble".

"Still," Gaius said, pouring ale into their goblets, and spilling quite a bit of it onto the table, "at least we're needed."

"Oh, yes. They'd be lost without us," Zedd agreed. "Pretzel?"

Gaius took one and nibbled at it. "They might think we're just old men, but our experience is invaluable. I mean, we could be sitting in front of a warm fire, wasting away, but instead we're making the most of our golden years."

Gaius hoisted his goblet into the air. "To the golden years."

Zedd tapped his goblet against Gaius's and they both drank deeply.

"If I've any complaints about going off adventuring at my age, it's only that sleeping on the ground isn't as much fun as it used to be," Zedd reflected. "The old joints do get stiff." He lifted one shoulder and rotated it with a grimace.

"I've got some ointment," Gaius said, brightly. "Good for loosening stiff joints." With a wicked chuckle, he leant forward conspiratorially and said, "I've got some ointments that are good for _making_ things stiff too."

***

When the two white-haired wizards had finished complaining about their young, impetuous yet gifted charges, they argued about the bar tab for a while (Gaius insisted he should pay this time), and then went their separate ways.

"See you next week," Zedd said as Gaius left.

The door closed and Zedd waited a moment for the unreality outside the inn to reset itself to the Midlands rather than Camelot. Ivan wasn't sure how the inn did this, but it worked, so he didn't care. So long as customers could come and go, and paid their bill, he didn't worry much about anything.

"Next week, then, Ivan," Zedd called. "Gaius asked me to join him; we're going to play bridge against Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay of Sunnydale."

Ivan waved politely and sighed when Zedd had left. He didn't need to be a wizard to foresee some more temporary bans being given out, and some new furniture needing to be ordered. Even if no-one cheated, wizards and games were always trouble. They just hated to lose.


End file.
